Timonium Elementary School -- 2003 No Child Left Behind ...



U.S. Department of Education November 2002

2002-2003 No Child Left Behind—Blue Ribbon Schools Program

Cover Sheet

Name of Principal: Mr. John D. Desmone

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the official records)

Official School Name: Timonium Elementary School

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address: 2001 Eastridge Road __________________________

(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)

Timonium Maryland _21093-4399___ _____

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

Tel. ( 410 ) 887-7661 Fax ( 410 ) 887-7662

Website/URL / schools / Timonium Elementary Email ties0805@

website under construction / link from system site

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge all information is accurate.

Date__March 24,2003 ___________

(Principal’s Signature)

Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable, write N/A in the space.

Name of Superintendent Dr. Joe A. Hairston

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

District Name Baltimore County Public Schools Tel. ( 410 ) 887-4281

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.

Date____________________________ (Superintendent’s Signature)

Name of School Board

President/Chairperson Mr. Donald L. Arnold

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

I have reviewed the information in this package, including the eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my knowledge it is accurate.

Date____________________________

(School Board President’s/Chairperson’s Signature)

PART II - DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

DISTRICT (Questions 1-2 not applicable to private schools)

1. Number of schools in the district: 104 Elementary schools

27 Middle schools

26 High schools

2 Jr. High

11 Alternative

170 TOTAL

2. District Per Pupil Expenditure: $7,521

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: $7,971

SCHOOL (To be completed by all schools)

3. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:

[ ] Urban or large central city

[ ] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area

[ x ] Suburban

[ ] Small city or town in a rural area

[ ] Rural

4. 3 Number of years the principal has been in her/his position at this school.

If fewer than three years, how long was the previous principal at this school?

5. Number of students enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in applying school:

|Grade |# of Males |# of Females |

Enrollment as of 03/12/03

* Timonium Elementary is also a regional autism center and houses 3 self-contained autism/ other health impaired classes. Enrollment numbers include those classes (27). Test data results after 1998-1999 do not include those classes as their students take an alternative state assessment (see narrative).

6. Racial/ethnic composition of 88 % White

the students in the school: 02 % Black or African American

Rounded to Whole Numbers 01 % Hispanic or Latino

08 % Asian/Pacific Islander

00 % American Indian/Alaskan Native

100% Total

7. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: 11.3%

(This rate includes the total number of students who transferred to or from different schools between October 1 and the end of the school year, divided by the total number of students in the school as of October 1, multiplied by 100.)

Note: The State of Maryland and the Baltimore County Public Schools measure from September 1.

|(1) |Number of students who transferred | |

| |to the school after October 1 until|26 |

| |the end of the year. | |

|(2) |Number of students who transferred | |

| |from the school after October 1 |21 |

| |until the end of the year. | |

|(3) |Subtotal of all transferred | 47 |

| |students [sum of rows (1) and (2)] | |

|(4) |Total number of students in the | |

| |school as of October 1 |416 |

|(5) |Subtotal in row (3) divided by | |

| |total in row (4) |.113 |

|(6) |Amount in row (5) multiplied by 100|11.3 |

8. Limited English Proficient students in the school: 2.4%

10 Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: 4

Specify languages: Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tagalog (Philippines)

9. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 4.0%

17 Total Number Students Who Qualify

10. Students receiving special education services: 16%

68 Total Number of Students Served

Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

26 Autism __ Orthopedic Impairment

__ Deafness 03 Other Health Impaired

__ Deaf-Blindness 06 Specific Learning Disability

__ Hearing Impairment 29 Speech or Language Impairment

__ Mental Retardation __ Traumatic Brain Injury

04 Multiple Disabilities __ Visual Impairment Including Blindness

* This total includes the 3 previously noted self-contained autism/other health impaired classes although we also have a small number of autistic students fully included in the regular program along with those with other disabilities who do take the state assessments.

11. Indicate number of full-time and part-time staff members in each of the categories below:

Number of Staff

Full-time (or equivalent) Part-Time (.2 equals 1 day)

Administrator(s) 2.0 0.0

Classroom teachers 16.0 0.0

(includes kindergarten)

Special resource teachers/specialists 11.0 1.7

(includes special areas, reading, SLP, OT, autism, library, etc.)

Paraprofessionals 14.0 1.4

(includes Para educators (instructional assistants), personal assistants (for autism classes), etc.)

Support staff 8.0 2.2

(includes nurse, guidance, custodial, cafeteria, secretaries, etc.)

Total number 51.0 5.3

12. Student-“classroom teacher” ratio: 23.9 to 1

(regular education classrooms only)

13. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students.

| |2001-2002 |2000-2001 |1999-2000 |1998-1999 |1997-1998 |

|Daily student attendance |97.3% |97.2% |97.6% |96.9% |96.8% |

|Daily teacher attendance |99.5% |99.2% |98.8% |99.3% |98.9% |

|Teacher turnover rate |10% |8% |4% |10% |13% |

PART III - SUMMARY

Timonium Elementary School is located in the central area of Baltimore County in a well-established community north of Towson, the county seat. The residents who live here represent a wide variety of backgrounds and occupations including various labor and service careers, small and large business owners and executives, technology and communications workers, and numerous professions. The families, who share in the goal of providing a quality education for their children, experience the opportunity to live, work, and play in this attractive, well-maintained community. Timonium Elementary School is an excellent environment for children to learn and grow.

Recognizing that all children can and want to learn, our mission is to inspire our students to reach their full potential. It is our responsibility to provide engaging learning opportunities that encourage and challenge every student to pursue excellence – socially, emotionally, and academically.

Timonium Elementary provides its students with a safe and positive, child-centered atmosphere where they are nurtured by people who care about their well-being. We expect that our students will grow to play important roles in their families and communities. We prepare them to live, learn, and work as productive members of a democratic and pluralistic society; helping them to develop the skills necessary to become caring, respectful, and responsible citizens.

Timonium Elementary School is proud of its academic achievements. Our assessment results continue to be well above the county, state, and national norms. Timonium Elementary was recognized in the 1998 – 1999 school year as a Maryland Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and again in 2003. It was named one of the Baltimore area’s best elementary schools by Baltimore Magazine and was cited in May 2000 by the Baltimore Sun for its outstanding reading instruction program. It has received School Performance Awards from both the Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and academic excellence recognitions from the governor, county executive, county council, and the House of Delegates. Timonium’s students participate in and excel at various academic activities and have been named Carson Scholar and Optimist’s, National Poetry, and Peabody Institute winners to name a few. In addition, its teachers and staff consistently receive awards for excellence including the Chamber of Commerce, Disney, and Council for Economic Education awards; are invited to speak at various workshops and conferences at the local, state, and regional level; and are regularly visited by school staffs from all around the state.

Timonium Elementary works hard to educate the whole child. Our school-wide behavior incentive program S.T.A.R.R. (Students That are Respectful and Responsible), which emphasizes respect for others and responsibility, continues to have a positive effect on student behavior throughout the school. We are also pleased to have been recognized for civic and humanitarian awards and projects from numerous organizations including the Maryland Food Bank, Kids Helping Hopkins, the United Way, NASA, and the U.S. Navy. School and student initiated projects are a regular part of our program and students and families willingly and eagerly give of themselves to help the less fortunate.

Parent involvement is high at Timonium Elementary School, with over 200 parent/guardian volunteers regularly assisting the instructional staff. Volunteers are quite visible throughout the school day, in and out of classrooms. This help takes on many forms and includes everything from working with individual and small groups of children to chaperoning field trips. The Parent Volunteer Program has been honored by the Maryland State Department of Education for its outstanding contribution to the educational program of the school. Parents/guardians serve actively through the PTA and on the School Improvement Team, as well as on numerous school committees. They support school improvement efforts via the implementation of the school’s mission statement. They also help to develop and approve the school’s Improvement Plan, annual operating budget, and other local programs and policies.

Everyone knows that a good school is more than test results or award recognitions. To maintain excellence, it must have caring and capable teachers and staff. It needs hard working, respectful and responsible students who are supported by involved and committed parents and guardians. Timonium Elementary has those things, in, as they say, spades. It is an outstanding neighborhood school and a worthy candidate for the No Child Left Behind/Blue Ribbon School Award.

PART IV – INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS

The state of Maryland has used the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) to assess and monitor student and school progress since 1993. MSPAP has been administered in May of each year and includes performance tasks that assess the grade 3, 5, and 8 Maryland Learning Outcomes in reading, writing, language usage, mathematics, science, and social studies. It was developed collaboratively by teachers and administrators throughout Maryland; curriculum and testing experts at the Maryland State Department of Education; and consultants whose specialty is test development. It was published by CTB McGraw Hill with new editions for each testing cycle.

MSPAP measures the performance of Maryland schools by illustrating how well students solve problems cooperatively and individually, how well students apply what they have learned to real world problems, and how well students can relate and use knowledge from different subject areas. The tasks are related to “real-life” situations and typically require students to write extensively. The assessment does not include multiple-choice questions. MSPAP assesses how well a school is achieving the standards for satisfactory and excellent performance in the Maryland learning outcome areas. For each area, results are reported through five proficiency levels, with level 1 being the highest. Satisfactory level responses include proficiency levels 3 and above. Excellent level responses include proficiency levels 2 and higher. The scores listed on the data charts included in this application represent the percentage of students scoring at the satisfactory or excellent level on each of the subject areas reported.

The numbers of students reported under the “number excluded” varies across content areas within a grade. For example, when determining the numbers of students who take MSPAP, records for special education students whose IEPs require specific accommodations are excluded from the area of accommodation. Therefore, a student who has a reading accommodation (e.g. - having the test read to him/her) would require the exclusion from the reading content area only. Although some ESOL students took the test, another very small percentage of students receiving ESOL services who had been in English speaking schools for less than 180 days were excluded from testing as decided on a case-by-case basis. These students were assessed through district developed reading and math milestone assessments and were part of the excluded number. For a small percentage of students with specific identified disabilities, the MSPAP is not appropriate because these students have different learning outcomes. Since the 1999-2000 school year, these students have participated in an alternate assessment, the Independence Mastery Assessment Program (IMAP). The IMAP is a portfolio assessment comprised of three sections: Section One – student description; Section Two – artifacts which demonstrate student achievement and progress in outcome areas; and Section Three – contains input from the student’s parent or guardian. Students presently enrolled in Timonium’s autism program are assessed in this manner and have not been included in any of the numbers noted on the data charts from the 1999-2000 school year data to the present.

Typically, disaggregated data is not reported at the school level for MSPAP if fewer than five students in any subgroup took the test. We have listed the only valid disaggregated data available for Timonium Elementary - that of males and females.

Timonium Elementary School is extremely proud of its successes on MSPAP. Over the last five years, it has consistently scored in the top 10% of all elementary schools in the state often positioning itself in or near the top spot. As impressively, over the last three years, as scores across the state declined, Timonium Elementary maintained or improved its scores and has consistently exceeded the state and school system averages in terms of the percentage of students meeting satisfactory and excellent standards in all tested areas. It is important to note that in its only area of disaggregated data, males and female students have performed equally as well over time and both subsets have performed well in non-traditional areas of strength (e.g. – males in reading, females in science). Finally, and perhaps most impressively, since the baseline year of 1993, Timonium Elementary has moved from a composite index (the average of all tested subsets) of 46.4% at satisfactory to a composite of 81.9% at satisfactory – an increase of 35.5%. This is a testament to a continually improving program focused, through data analysis and sound instructional practices, on increasing student engagement, performance, and achievement.

2. Assessment is an integral part of the Timonium Elementary School program. To implement our educational mission of fostering learning for all children, we endeavor to link curriculum and instruction with assessment. We use a variety of assessments to make decisions concerning individual students, to modify and improve instruction based on the data, and to increase student achievement based on the modified instruction. Standardized norm-referenced test (e.g. - CTBS, Houghton Mifflin, Open Court), and standardized and non-standardized criterion referenced tests (e.g. – MSPAP, BCPS Benchmarks, Timonium Elementary Milestones) are a major part of our focus on accountability. In addition, portfolios, content and skill specific checklists, report card criteria, and informal assessments (e.g. – teacher observation, anecdotal records, class work, homework) are a regular part of the daily program and help to assess, evaluate, and track student performance and progress. The information gleaned assists in measuring the extent to which students have mastered essential learning objectives and identifies individual student strengths and needs. It also helps teachers to differentiate instruction, including providing reinforcement, enrichment, and remediation.

In addition to individual teacher and grade level team data collection and analysis, the School Improvement Team (SIT) includes a teacher led School Data Action Team that is responsible for analyzing assessment data at the school level (i.e. – MSPAP, CTBS, etc.) and sharing that information with appropriate staff and stakeholders. They also provide information based on the data analysis to the staff members responsible for developing the School Improvement Plan (SIP). This committee also helps develop strategies and activities to increase student achievement as outlined in the SIP. Consideration of special programs and possible grants, which focus on assessment and data collection, also go through this committee.

3. Timonium Elementary is committed to the goal of initiating and encouraging open communications with families thus establishing partnerships in the educational process. It has worked hard to institute a comprehensive system of feedback that focuses on student growth as well as skill attainment. In addition to the traditional sources (i.e. – report cards), Timonium teachers communicate student performance by regularly “meeting” with families in the conference setting. This can occur informally through letter, phone, or email correspondence or in more formal conference settings. In the fall of the year, all families are expected to convene for a lengthy (minimum of 30 minutes) revue of progress. Additional conferences are held on an as needed or as requested basis throughout the school year and parents are encouraged to participate in a dialogue regarding their children. The more formal Team process (i.e. – IEP, SST), designed to support identified or “at-risk” students, also provide parents/guardians with in depth information regarding educational assessments, speech/language evaluations, psychological testing and the instructional interventions being considered and/or implemented to help increase achievement. In addition, the administrative team and staff members present and explain curriculum and assessment yearly through PTA and School Improvement Team meetings, Family Nights, and informational workshops at which all families are encouraged to attend

Standardized assessment results - individual student, school-wide, system, and state - are reported annually to parents and, where appropriate, the community. This information is published by MSDE, by BCPS, by the school, and in newspapers and is shared with families and the school community to apprise them of the progress of Maryland and Baltimore County public schools in general and Timonium Elementary in particular as we work to improve instruction and increase student achievement. Our school newsletter, the Timonium Times, contains information relating to assessments including the names of the tests being administered at each grade level, the dates these tests are being given, and the results of the tests, and how the test data is to be utilized. Individual test results are shared with parents/guardians to enable them to be involved in planning and carrying out their child’s educational program.

Finally, and most importantly, students are provided regular feedback as part of the instructional program. Daily objectives, rubrics, scoring tools, and other target documents are shared with boys and girls before, during, and after instruction and assessment. Understanding content targets and knowing what performance standards are expected has significantly impacted the student growth and achievement and is evident in both formative and summative assessment results.

4. Timonium Elementary remains an open partner in the school improvement process and willingly shares it expertise and successes with individuals and school communities from across our school system and state. Whether focused on skill building and word identification or performance instruction and assessment, administrators and staff members have been a valuable resource to other professionals as well as families. Examples would include:

• Sharing the Timonium success story at a statewide event sponsored by MSDE. The purpose of this event was to give parents and communities from across the state a better understanding of the components of the state assessments.

• First grade teachers presenting information to area principals focusing on extending reading comprehension through developmentally appropriate stance questions.

• The reading specialist and kindergarten teacher presenting information on reading and writing in kindergarten to an early childhood conference

In addition to these examples, Timonium Elementary has, over the years, hosted a number of school staffs from across the system and state and shared our program with administrators and teachers eagerly looking for “what is working.” We are also home to numerous student teachers from the colleges and universities in our area. Working under the tutelage of our master teachers, aspiring educators are shown the rigors and joys of the teaching profession.

Timonium Elementary is proud to continue offering these types of supports to other schools. Our teachers and staff recognize the responsibility inherent in its successes and are open to the reasonable demands of communicating them with others. In addition to the types of supports noted above, Timonium Elementary has established a good working relationship with the many print and television professionals who work in the Baltimore market. The principal is regularly called upon to comment on issues that affect schools and families, and teachers share their program and projects with journalists from the various news media. Timonium Elementary is also working on a website that will serve as a communication and information tool between the school and its families and between Timonium Elementary and other schools and education organizations.

.

STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TEST

Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP)

Grade _3 - Reading_ Test MSPAP

Edition/publication year ’98 – ‘02 Publisher CTB McGraw-Hill ____________________

| |2001-2002 |2000-2001 |1999-2000 |1998-1999 |1997-1998 |

|Testing month May | | | | | |

|SCHOOL SCORES | | | | | |

| Total | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |85.5 |71.6 |83.1 |86.9 |88.9 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |21.7 |14.9 |27.7 |31.1 |14.3 |

| Number of students tested |69 |75 |64 |60 |63 |

| Percent of total students tested |97 |91 |94 |78 |90 |

| Number of students excluded |2 |7 |4 |18 * |7 |

| Percent of students excluded |3 |9 |6 |22 * |10 |

| SUBGROUP SCORES | | | | | |

| 1. males (specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |88.2 |58.3 |85.3 |92.9 |87.1 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |17.1 |26.3 |33.3 |24.2 |12.5 |

| 2. females (specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |82.9 |84.2 |80.0 |81.8 |90.6 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |17.1 |26.3 |33.3 |24.2 |12.5 |

| 3._____________________(specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient | | | | | |

| At Advanced | | | | | |

|STATE SCORES | | | | | |

| Total | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |30.7 |36.5 |39.2 |41.2 |41.6 |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

| At Advanced (excellent) |3.7 |8.5 |8.9 |9.1 |9.3 |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

Note: From 1993 through 2002, Maryland administered the MSPAP. This assessment provided two proficiency levels, “satisfactory” and “excellent,” where the “excellent” was contained within the upper scale points of “satisfactory.”

* includes special education students who presently use an alternative form of assessment (IMAP) – see narrative

STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TEST

Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP)

Grade _3 - Mathematics_ Test MSPAP

Edition/publication year ’98 – ‘02 Publisher CTB McGraw-Hill ____________________

| |2001-2002 |2000-2001 |1999-2000 |1998-1999 |1997-1998 |

|Testing month May | | | | | |

|SCHOOL SCORES | | | | | |

| Total | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |91.4 |88.5 |90.9 |92.3 |97.0 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |25.7 |26.9 |30.3 |38.5 |42.4 |

| Number of students tested |70 |77 |66 |65 |65 |

| Percent of total students tested |99 |94 |97 |84 |93 |

| Number of students excluded |1 |5 |2 |7 * |5 |

| Percent of students excluded |1 |6 |3 |16 * |7 |

| SUBGROUP SCORES | | | | | |

| 1. males (specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |91.4 |87.2 |97.1 |96.9 |97 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |25.7 |12.8 |29.4 |37.5 |42.4 |

| 2. females (specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |91.4 |89.7 |83.9 |87.9 |97.0 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |25.7 |41.0 |29.0 |39.4 |42.4 |

| 3._____________________(specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient | | | | | |

| At Advanced | | | | | |

|STATE SCORES | | | | | |

| Total | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |28.7 |37.8 |40.1 |38.9 |41.6 |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

| At Advanced (excellent) |2.1 |3.6 |3.8 |4.0 |4.2 |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

Note: From 1993 through 2002, Maryland administered the MSPAP. This assessment provided two proficiency levels, “satisfactory” and “excellent,” where the “excellent” was contained within the upper scale points of “satisfactory.”

STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TEST

Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP)

Grade _5 - Reading_ Test MSPAP

Edition/publication year ’98 – ‘02 Publisher CTB McGraw-Hill ____________________

| |2001-2002 |2000-2001 |1999-2000 |1998-1999 |1997-1998 |

|Testing month May | | | | | |

|SCHOOL SCORES | | | | | |

| Total | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |69.7 |69.3 |64.1 |61.8 |59.0 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |25.8 |38.7 |14.1 |23.5 |9.0 |

| Number of students tested |65 |71 |79 |67 |73 |

| Percent of total students tested |90 |95 |99 |87 |87 |

| Number of students excluded |7 |4 |1 |10 * |11 |

| Percent of students excluded |10 |5 |1 |13 * |13 |

| SUBGROUP SCORES | | | | | |

| 1. males (specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |62.9 |55.6 |66.7 |44.4 |45.9 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |14.3 |36.1 |12.8 |14.8 |5.4 |

| 2. females (specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |77.4 |82.1 |61.5 |73.2 |70.7 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |38.7 |41.0 |15.4 |29.3 |12.2 |

| 3._____________________(specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient | | | | | |

| At Advanced | | | | | |

|STATE SCORES | | | | | |

| Total | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |42.1 |44.6 |44.6 |41.1 |40.4 |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

| At Advanced (excellent) |11.2 |10.8 |10.6 |9.9 |9.3 |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

Note: From 1993 through 2002, Maryland administered the MSPAP. This assessment provided two proficiency levels, “satisfactory” and “excellent,” where the “excellent” was contained within the upper scale points of “satisfactory.”

STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TEST

Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP)

Grade _5 - Mathematics_ Test MSPAP

Edition/publication year ’98 – ‘02 Publisher CTB McGraw-Hill ____________________

| |2001-2002 |2000-2001 |1999-2000 |1998-1999 |1997-1998 |

|Testing month May | | | | | |

|SCHOOL SCORES | | | | | |

| Total | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |77.9 |69.2 |84.6 |83.8 |76.5 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |38.2 |37.2 |42.3 |33.8 |27.2 |

| Number of students tested |68 |74 |79 |73 |77 |

| Percent of total students tested |94 |99 |99 |95 |92 |

| Number of students excluded |4 |1 |1 |4 * |7 |

| Percent of students excluded |6 |1 |1 |5 * |8 |

| SUBGROUP SCORES | | | | | |

| 1. males (specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |81.1 |70.3 |87.2 |83.9 |80.0 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |45.9 |35.1 |48.7 |32.3 |35.0 |

| 2. females (specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |74.2 |68.3 |82.1 |83.7 |73.2 |

| At Advanced (excellent) |29.0 |39.0 |35.9 |34.9 |19.5 |

| 3._____________________(specify subgroup) | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient | | | | | |

| At Advanced | | | | | |

|STATE SCORES | | | | | |

| Total | | | | | |

| At or Above Basic | | | | | |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

| At or Above Proficient (satisfactory) |39.8 |42.6 |46.7 |46.2 |47.9 |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

| At Advanced (excellent) |9.6 |11.4 |12.2 |11.5 |11.9 |

| State Mean Score | | | | | |

Note: From 1993 through 2002, Maryland administered the MSPAP. This assessment provided two proficiency levels, “satisfactory” and “excellent,” where the “excellent” was contained within the upper scale points of “satisfactory.”

PART V – CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

1. Describe the school’s curriculum.

Timonium Elementary School, in partnership with parents and the community, accepts the responsibility for providing a strong academic program that will foster the growth of its students in all areas. Understanding that basics are the foundation from which all subsequent learning takes place, we believe students must be actively involved in authentic learning tasks, which will inspire a love of learning that lasts them well beyond their school careers. We recognize that students possess different learning styles and it is incumbent upon us to make use of their individual strengths. Timonium Elementary students explore and discover, manipulate and problem solve. This focus on process learning extends basic understanding enabling students to become critical and creative thinkers who will be able to compete and excel in a constantly changing world.

Timonium Elementary School recognizes that learning is a developmental process so skills are developed systematically and sequentially. Teachers use the Maryland Content Standards and its Learning Goals and Indicators in conjunction with the Baltimore County Public Schools’ Essential Curriculum and subject area Scope and Sequence of Skills to identify specific skills to introduce and reinforce at each grade level. Skills are taught, applied, and assessed both in isolation and in authentic contexts. Lesson objectives highlight our emphasis on the acquisition and application of basic skills.

Learning in the academic disciplines is the cornerstone of Timonium Elementary’s educational program. Our unique programs, projects, activities, instructional materials, and assessment tools, which have served as models to other schools, are based on test data, teacher observation and experience, and current research about teaching and learning. Reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies are taught daily in all grade levels. Content is presented in a variety of ways, including books, periodicals, manipulatives, audio-visual materials, computer simulations, field trips, guest speakers, and assemblies. Students are taught concepts, skills, vocabulary, and processes specific to each subject area and interdisciplinary connections are incorporated into lessons and activities as well.

At Timonium Elementary School, students have many opportunities to develop academic skills both basic and advanced. Throughout the day, our boys and girls work as individuals, with partners, in small groups, and with the whole class. They can often be seen sharing, discussing, listening, and doing while interacting with a variety of people including teachers and staff, administrators, volunteers, and peers. The teaching staff at Timonium Elementary School believes strongly in engaged student learning. Students who are engaged in their learning are actively involved in meaningful lessons. Our students, whether learning disabled or gifted, are challenged by new learning opportunities that are facilitated by the classroom teacher and support personnel. They work toward skill and process objectives that lead to authentic applications of those skills and are assessed for content mastery through a wide variety of feedback strategies.

Another broad goal consistent with our mission includes fostering in our students both aesthetic and physical growth and development. Our art, vocal and instrumental music, and literature programs are designed to develop students’ artistic appreciation, interests, and talents. Gifted and interested art and music students have opportunities to cultivate their skills through in and after school clubs and programs. Cultural arts programs, as well as field trips provide students with additional aesthetic experiences. After school computer, book, world language, and chess clubs also foster healthy discourse, skill attainment, and higher levels of thinking. Our health and physical education programs help students understand their changing self, make healthy decisions and be physically fit. This effort to address the whole child provides our students with many opportunities to use their academic skills in a variety of settings as they think critically and creatively, make decisions, and solve problems.

As the data demonstrates, Timonium Elementary continues to provide its students with an outstanding academic program where students are engaged in significant content, based on high standards. The long term growth and success validates our program and the efforts of the staff and community to provide its young people with an engaging and productive learning environment.

2. Describe the school’s reading curriculum.

The ultimate goal of Timonium Elementary School’s reading program is to help students become life-long readers. It is based on the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) English Framework and Content Standards for Language Arts. It focuses on word identification (Word ID) and comprehension in the primary grades (learning to read) and moves to word study and connections in the intermediate grades (reading to learn). The reading program is research based and was ahead of the curve in the use of systematic and sequential skill building programs and strategies.

Beginning in kindergarten, our program provides direct skill instruction in letter, word, print and sound knowledge. Students are given many opportunities to build listening comprehension and oral composition skills. Through the primary grades, there is direct instruction in phonics and structural analysis, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension. Our first and second grade S.P.A.R.C. (Skills in Phonics, Analysis, Reading, and Making Connections) program, which was featured in a May 1998 Baltimore Sun lead article, Basics at Risk in Push to Test, is an example of how we emphasize beginning reading skills and their application by providing 40 to 60 minutes of daily Word ID instruction.

Using the school system’s approved resources (Open Court Phonics and Houghton Mifflin Reading) along with other materials, both trade and teacher made, reading instruction focuses on three purposes for reading. Across all grade levels, lessons include opportunities for students to read for literary experience (fiction, plays, poetry), for information (non-fiction), and to perform a task (how-to materials, science investigations, etc.). As students progress through the grades, reading instruction focuses on teaching students to construct, extend, and examine meaning through global understanding, developing interpretation, personal reflection and response, and critical analysis. Timonium Elementary students are immersed in the written word and reading is a part of all subject areas. This balanced approach to literacy takes on many forms at the intermediate level and, in addition to the aforementioned resources, relies on numerous other reading materials including traditional basals, anthologies, picture and chapter books, fiction books, folklore and poetry collections, text and reference books, periodicals and other non-fiction resources.

3. Describe another curriculum area of the school’s choice.

The Timonium Elementary School social studies program is aligned with the Maryland Content Standards for Social Studies. The units of study are based on the Baltimore County Public Schools’ Essential Curriculum and begin with lessons on school and community awareness in kindergarten through the study of geography, civilizations, and basic economics in primary grades. Intermediate units focus on geography, early U.S. and Maryland History, advanced economics (Kaleidoscope, USA) and current events. Instruction in social studies provides opportunities for students to analyze, hypothesize, solve problems, make decisions, and give thoughtful consideration to a variety of topics. Content is presented in units or themes that focus on the history, geography, economics, political systems, citizenship, and values – all of which are assessed on the MSPAP. Literature is integrated into social studies instruction as well. For example, Where in the World Do You Think You’re Going, Christopher Columbus? is used in conjunction with the fourth grade Exploration unit, and Secret Soldier is used with the fifth grade, liberty unit. Content reading skills are developed with textbooks, reference materials, and periodicals (Time for Kids), providing balance in the reading program as students read for information in their social studies classes.

Timonium Elementary provides many hands-on and experiential learning opportunities. Fourth graders, for example, have created an authentic culminating project, a colonial museum, which included displays and tours, for their study of English colonization of North America. Fifth grade students have spent a day with Miss Betty’s Colonial Trunk, interacting with colonial era props and artifacts and making candles and other items of historical significance. Field trips to Washington DC and Mount Vernon enhance the study of history and visits to Exchange City expand an understanding of economics. Timonium Elementary students in grades one, two, and three have participated in teacher-designed economics projects, several of which have won first and second place awards from the Council on Economic Education in Maryland (CEEM) for their innovative and purposeful instructional approaches.

4. Describe the different instructional methods the school uses to improve student learning.

Timonium Elementary School recognizes that students possess different learning styles and it is incumbent upon us to make use of each child’s individual strengths. We also recognize that learning is a developmental process and that students in the same grade and class could be on different levels of the developmental continuum. To meet these challenges and improve student learning, we provide many opportunities for students to learn content; to internalize concepts; and to review, practice, apply, refine, and extend skills. Varieties of assessments are provided to ensure that all students are able to demonstrate understanding and mastery. After careful consideration of pertinent data, each child is placed in a developmentally appropriate learning environment that includes flexible grouping, individual assistance, and curricular and instructional modifications and adaptations as needed. Timonium Elementary believes that engaged learners will be successful learners. Working to meet all possible learning modalities (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) and intelligences, our unique programs, projects, activities, instructional materials, and assessment tools provide students with authentic purposes for learning. Interdisciplinary connections, real-world contexts and materials, challenging content, active learning, grade level to grade level continuity, and meaningful assessments are all important features of our instructional program.

Timonium Elementary also provides a number of programs that focus on the specific needs and/or strengths of its students. Lessons plans are designed to include strategies for differentiating instruction and accelerating or re-teaching content based on individual and group needs. Teams of teachers meet regularly during common planning time to plan instruction and discuss student performance. Classroom teachers and support staff work to provide small group and differentiated instruction as a regular part of our program. In addition, the Primary Talent Development Program allows teachers in the primary grades to observe gifted behaviors in all of their students. Identified students in third, fourth, and fifth grades have multiple opportunities to interact with like minded peers on specifically designed units of study in reading, math, social studies and science. Students with IEP’s and 504 Plans, identified ESOL students, and potentially “at-risk” students all have individualized programs and materials available to them that better address each ones learning style and modality.

5. Describe the school’s professional development program.

Timonium Elementary has always considered teacher growth and professional development a key to improving student achievement. The School Improvement Team (SIT) includes a teacher led Instruction Action Team (IAT) that is responsible for helping to plan and implement staff development activities, which focus on meeting the goals and objectives as described in our School Improvement Plan (SIP). The staff development is designed through needs assessments based on the data analysis provided by grade level teams and the School Data Action Team. These activities take place during faculty meetings and professional development days but are also provided by outside sources including school system personnel as well as private companies. Budgeted funds are also available to teachers for workshops and seminars that focus on specific needs or areas of interest. Whether designed for the whole staff or selected for individual members or grade level teams, all staff development is focused on the delivery of the system and state curriculum through the meeting of individual student needs.

Examples of our customized professional development options include: the art teacher is trained at the Baltimore Museum of Art and uses this training to implement the primary art curriculum; using Eisenhower Staff Development Grants, a fourth grade teacher attends state and national science conferences designed to improve delivery of science instruction and shares that information with other classroom teachers; and providing release time for general education teams to meet with school system specialists regarding implementation of new reading programs.

The IAT considers not only presentations but also other ways to support professional growth. The master schedule is designed to allow for common planning time that encourages regular communication. Grade level and support teams learn much from each other through team planning sessions. Teachers are also encouraged to observe outstanding colleagues both in our building and throughout the school system. In addition, a professional library is housed in the building and the posting of information or articles related to topics of interest to members of the staff is ongoing.

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